Cassie Returns"
by devra
Summary: Sequel to Apple A Day. Life will never be the same when Cassie Returns


Daniel got up quietly so not to disturb Janet and padded into the kitchen in bare feet and only sweat pants to start the coffee. SG-1 did not return from their mission until late last night, Daniel glanced at the clock, 'make that early this morning' and by the time they had their post mission infirmary check and debriefing they did not head home until almost 3am.  
  
Daniel put the filter and the grounds in the coffee maker and turned it on. The aroma of the coffee filled the kitchen instantaneously and Daniel stifled a yawn. The microwave clock read 9am, and this time Daniel did yawn. Even though he and Janet and walked through her door at 3:30 they didn't get to sleep until almost 5:30am. Daniel smiled and felt himself warming at the memory.  
  
Stretching, he realized he would have to wake Janet soon. Cassie was finally returning from Spain today and she needed to be picked up at the airport. Daniel had wanted to accompany Janet, but Janet wanted to talk to Cassie first, alone, to explain about them, to tell her that Daniel was going to be part of their life. Janet tried to explain to Daniel, that since Cassie was a teenager, and depending on the day, time, and month, that idea would go over either great with Cassie or she would become the drama queen and close herself up in her room for days on end. Janet did not have the heart to tell Daniel, that Cassie had not been thrilled with them dating from the beginning. Before she had left for Spain, Janet and Daniel had started seeing each other outside SGC and Cassie had a few choice words to her mother on the subject. Janet was not looking forward to this confrontation.  
  
Daniel reached up to get two coffee mugs when he felt Janet's hands rubbing his bare back. She put her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his back. Daniel put the mugs down on the counter and turned around to face Janet.  
  
"Hope I didn't wake you," Daniel said bending down and kissing the top of her head.  
  
"No, I have to go get ready to pick up Cassie, "Janet sighed. Actually after Daniel had fallen asleep last night she had been up for a long time afterwards thinking about her daughter's reaction to her adoptive mother's happiness.  
  
"Surely you have a few minutes", Daniel picked Janet up and sat her on the kitchen counter so they were actually eye level now. "Much better now", Daniel stated kissing first her nose, then her neck. Janet's hair was still sleep tousled and she had on Daniel's button down shirts. Daniel was standing between Janet's legs and she wrapped them around his back. Their kissing was light and playful at first and then started to become a repeat of early this morning.  
  
Daniel started to unbutton Janet's shirt and was kissing her neck when from the kitchen doorway they heard….  
  
"Hey guys, I'm home, oh but you don't have to stop on my account." Cassie said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Oh shit", exclaimed both Daniel and Janet simultaneously. Janet slid off the kitchen counter and started buttoning up the shirt and Daniel started looking for a hole to crawl into. Because if it wasn't bad enough that Cassie had walked into the kitchen when she did, also standing in the kitchen entryway was Cassie's friend Susan, and Susan's mother.  
  
Jack would have been surprised, the linguist who had greeted hundreds of new planet's habitants with "hello, by name is Daniel Jackson" could not even utter a word or syllable. "Sorry to disturb you", Susan's mom said the sarcasm dripping off her voice, "but the girls called yesterday that their tour had caught an earlier plane. Cassie obviously couldn't reach you* Susan's mother did a quick once over of Daniel *Janet swore the woman licked her lips* so I agreed to pick her up. Hope you don't mind. Nice to you meet you Mr..."she tilted her head in Daniel's direction.  
  
"That's my Uncle Daniel", Cassie replied and did an abrupt turn about. The footsteps running down the hall and slamming of her bedroom door reverberated through the house.  
  
"Oh….." Susan's mom exclaimed. "I think we will see ourselves out." Leaving the implication of the word "uncle" hang in the air.  
  
Daniel did not look at Janet until he heard the front door close.  
  
"Was that my imagination or did that go worse than I could ever have imagined". Daniel said  
  
"Daniel, do me a favor," Janet said. (Was Daniel's mistaken or did Janet voice have an edge of anger) …"just go. I'll try to call you later." One thing Daniel was sure of, the resignation in her voice was all too apparent.  
  
"Janet, I'm sorry…can I", Daniel attempted to place his hands on her shoulders. But she just shrugged them off. She turned to face him. Trying to hide the tremor in her voice she said, "It's too late for sorry, call someone to pick you up. But you need to leave," Janet could not even make eye contact with Daniel. Janet averted her face, turned and went down the hall to Cassie's room. Daniel could see she knocked hesitantly and then entered.  
  
Daniel had been staying over Janet's, well in all reality, he had been living there for almost two weeks. He scouted around the bedroom and gathered all his clothes he could find stuffing them in his duffel bag. Into the bag went his toiletries and anything that even resembled something that belonged to him.  
  
He got dressed and proceeded down the hallway to leave the house. He didn't care if he walked home, walked to SGC or called a cab to get him. There was no way he was calling Jack or even Sam. He wasn't in the mood to have his personal life scrutinized under the microscope and he certainly wasn't in the mood for his failures to again to be placed in the limelight.  
  
As he passed Cassie's bedroom, he could hear the shouting and crying from behind the closed door. He couldn't bring himself to leave, *cause like Jack said things were just never over with him* not like this, as he placed his hand to knock on the door to her room it was flung open. Cassie stood facing him, tears running down her face. Through the opened bedroom door, he could see Janet sitting on Cassie's bed her eyes red from crying.  
  
"Cassie…I ", Daniel began.  
  
"Don't say it Daniel, don't say you are sorry, don't say anything." She got closer to Daniel poking him in the chest as she was speaking. "Just leave, leave now, and leave for good. I hate you for waiting till I went away, to come in and take.. Cassie's voice increased in both pitch and volume as she attempted to continue.  
  
"Enough!" Janet exclaimed jumping off the bed and standing by Cassie. "Daniel, I told you before, just go." Janet said through her sobs. God, this wasn't fair why did she feel like she was being force to choose, and no matter what the choice she was the loser.  
  
Daniel tried to gently hold the hand that was poking him in the chest.  
  
"Get you hands off of me". Cassie screamed pushing Daniel with enough force that he took a step backwards.  
  
"Cassie please…this was never meant to hurt you." Daniel said softly. Daniel approached Cassie with his palms facing upward. The way he would approach a hostile inhabitant of a different world.  
  
"If you didn't want to hurt me…you shouldn't have been screwing my mother" and with that slammed her bedroom door in his shocked face. Daniel took a shuddering breath, picked up his duffel bag, continued down the hallway, out the front door and his mind, out of Janet's and Cassie's life.  
  
Two Days Later:  
  
Janet stepped into her office at SGC. This was her first day back at work since Cassie came home. In a way she was glad to be returning work, the silence in her house was deafening. Cassie barely spoke to her, if the truth was known, she really didn't care to speak to Cassie. Her anger at the whole situation was overwhelming. In the two days, she had picked up the phone numerous times to call Daniel, but just couldn't make herself dial his home, his cell phone or his office number at SGC. His look of shocked resignation during Cassie's verbal tirade was burned into her mind. Janet hung her head and swallowed in an attempt to quell the tears which threatened to overflow. What angered Janet the most in this situation was that Cassie would not even tell her why she didn't want Daniel around, not in their house and definitely not in their lives. Then the replay of Cassie's face when she caught her and Daniel in the kitchen….God it couldn't get any worse.  
  
A slight knock on the door which Janet acknowledged with a "come in". Major Carter stuck her head through the door. "Hi Janet, got a few minutes".  
  
"Sure", Janet said plastering a false smile on her face.  
  
"Everything okay with you Janet?" Sam was concerned about the pallor of her friend's skin and the dark smudges under her eyes. "I was a little concerned, I called and left a few messages on your machine. I wanted to know how Cassie liked Spain.  
  
Janet knew her best friend was being just that, a best friend, but Janet couldn't even talk about, well right now she couldn't talk to anyone about anything. So she did the next best thing, Janet lied. "Oh she had a great time, as a matter of fact I took off to make up for the month of lost bonding. We've been talking continuously about Spain." 'What a lie!! 'Janet's consciousness screamed. Cassie had never mentioned Spain in the one day of nonstop fighting and the next day of deafening silence. And then Janet's mouth ran way ahead of her brain and heart, "I'm sure Cassie would love to tell you all about it, why don't you come for dinner tonight". 'Oh my God, what the hell did I just do'.  
  
Janet's body language was reading, 'Go away, don't bother me now'. Obviously Sam wasn't picking up on it and sat down on the office chair to gossip.  
  
They talked, well actually, Sam talked, Janet listened about the activities at SGC for the 48 hours that Janet had been in her own little Hell.  
  
At the mention of Daniel's name, Janet sat up a little straighter and started to pay attention.  
  
"…so he has been holed up in his office for 48 hours working on this trade agreement. The President commissioned him after reading his initial proposal. He has one week to come up with a rough draft to submit to the Nuzarians. Myself, Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c go on rotating shifts to make sure he is at least eating, sleeping and breathing."  
  
Janet smiled, "As his doctor, add me to your list of responsible adults checking on Daniel. As a matter of fact as soon as I get morning duties squared away, I will stop by his office." Just the thought of seeing him made Janet's heart start to pound.  
  
"Okay, I'll let you go. I will see you tonight for dinner. I will bring dessert and wine".  
  
After the door closed, Janet went to the infirmary to get report from the night shift. The beds were empty, the majority of teams were on stand down so the report was quick and painless. Janet went back to her office, signed some required requisition forms (in triplicate of course) and filed some medical charts. Janet glanced at her watch, no sense putting off the inevitable. Janet sighed, informed the day nurse she was going for a coffee and left the infirmary.  
  
Standing in front of Daniel's door all nerve seemed to abandon Janet. Whether it was because of their last parting or the fact that a big "Do Not Disturb" sign hung off the door knob she wasn't sure. Janet knocked hesitantly on the door with no response. She tried again with the same results. She tried turning the door knob and the door opened easily. She proceeded quietly into the room, shutting it behind her. The lights were turned low with only the lights over the desk lit for illumination. She smiled when she saw Daniel. He was fast asleep in his office chair. Amid the desk with overflowing papers and books, Daniel's head was on the desk resting in the crook of his arms. Janet smiled wickedly, stepped back and locked Daniel's office door.  
  
Janet came up behind Daniel and put her arms underneath his black tee shirt and started to massage his back. "Mmmm", was Daniel's response making Janet smile. "Feels good….Janet". Janet had stopped the massage when Daniel hesitated before he said her name…what if he was dreaming and called out Sha're's name, what would she do then. But Daniel didn't, he knew the touch he felt was hers and hers lone. Janet felt like her heart had wings. "Don't stop," Daniel said his voice relaying the fact that he was waking up and enjoying the moment. He grabbed Janet from behind him and pulled her onto his lap. Their kissing started passionately and escalated with frightening intensity. "I thought I lost you", Daniel said removing the clip from Janet's hair so it cascaded to her shoulders. He started pulling her blouse from her skirt and unbuttoning it. "Please don't shut me out again". "I'm sorry", Janet whispered as she thrust her hands again under Daniel's shirt. Daniel pulled Janet into a standing position and in record time their clothes lay in a pile at their feet. Daniel leaned over and with one fell swoop of his arm, threw all of the clutter on the desk, all the paperwork, notes, half empty coffee cups, soda cans, candy wrappers and such onto the floor. He laid Janet gently atop his desk and then proceeded to conclude what they had started the other morning in her kitchen.  
  
"What a mess Daniel," Janet said as she surveyed his office buttoning up her shirt.  
  
"It was worth it," Daniel said walking over to Janet and taking her again in his arms. He started kissing her cheeks, her nose….  
  
Janet put up her hand to his chest, gently pushing him away. "Don't start…" Daniel gave her a puzzled look. She smiled and continued "If you start, I can't stop and then….".  
  
Daniel smiled and Janet noticed for the first time the dark smudges under his eyes "I thought I lost you Janet, he repeated. Let me help with Cassie".  
  
Janet looked at Daniel guiltily, "Give her time, please be patient with both her and me. We will just have to be satisfied with our time together here for now. Can you do that".  
  
"I'm not saying I will always be understanding, but I will try."  
  
Janet took the two steps over to him and hugged him, "I can't ask for anything more."  
  
"Guess I have to go back to playing doctor"….  
  
"Guess I have to go back to ……first cleaning up this mess.  
  
"Daniel, I know that you are working on this important agreement, but as your doctor, sleep, eat and work in that order. Cut down on the coffee, " she said as she glanced at the spilled Styrofoam cups. "And especially, aspirin is not candy." Janet bent down and picked up the aspirin bottle, placing it in her skirt pocket. "And as Janet, I will see you later to make sure you eat lunch. They kissed goodbye. And as Janet walked over to the door, Daniel said to Janet…"As your archeologist, leave you hair down, it….." Daniel didn't finish the sentence, he just smiled knowingly. Janet fingered her hair and a blush rose to her cheeks. She turned and unlocked the door glancing back at Daniel and he bent to start to clean up the mess. Janet stepped into the hallway feeling better than she had in 48 hours.  
  
About 10 minutes later Jack O'Neill sauntered into Daniel's office. "Howdy Daniel", Jack said.  
  
Daniel jumped at the unexpected intrusion. "Shit Jack, you scared me. What the hell are you sneaking up on me like that."  
  
"Just doing the SG-1 check on Daniel Jackson thing. What happened to your office." Jack said glancing at the mess all over Daniel's floor.  
  
"Nothing, just reorganizing".  
  
"Ooookay" Jack said shaking his head. "Hey Daniel, did you see Doctor Fraiser today".  
  
Daniel hesitated, he didn't want to lie. "Yeah, she came to see what was up". Daniel started to blush…'bad, bad choice of words'.  
  
Jack didn't seem to notice, but continued…"She had her hair down, not up like she usually does and it really looked good".  
  
"Sorry Jack, Daniel replied, "I really wasn't paying any attention. Now if you don't mind I have to finish cleaning…ummm…reorganizing. This agreement is…."  
  
"Say no more", Jack started backing out of Daniel's door, "General Hammond will have my hide if he finds me bothering you. See ya." Jack straightened the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the office door and closed the door behind him.  
  
True to her word, Janet stopped by Daniel's office for a lunch break. She knocked on the door and walked in. Daniel was hunched over the desk writing furiously. "Not now, Jack, Sam or Teal'c, " Daniel said never looking up, waving his hand in what he presumed to be their direction. " I'll eat something later."  
  
"No Daniel, you will eat now". Janet took in the condition of the desk. It looked like it had never been disturbed. She blushed at this morning's escapades.  
  
Daniel looked up quickly from his work and caught Janet looking at the desk and blushing. He stood up and took her in his arms. "We could use the couch?" Daniel said questioning.  
  
Janet laughed, pushing his away. "No Daniel, I am here as your doctor and you are going to come with me to the commissary to eat …Daniel grabbed her again and started nibbling at her ear. "Lunch, Daniel", Janet said laughing. Daniel backed up from Janet, pouting. "Daniel", Janet said seriously, "You need to take care of yourself, please." Janet was taking in the number of coffee cups on the desk. "Even though I want to get you into bed, I don't want it be one in the infirmary."  
  
"Sorry", Daniel said hanging his head.  
  
"No sorry, let's go." Janet said pushing him gently in the direction of the door. She knew if he touched her again, lunch would be forgotten. "Janet, " Daniel said as he closed his office door "from now on whenever YOU come in. Close and LOCK the door behind you."  
  
"Why", Janet asked innocently.  
  
She was rewarded with a truly wicked Daniel Jackson smile.  
  
Lunch was pure torture. Janet and Daniel ate with SG-1.  
  
"How did you manage to get Daniel to come to lunch, Janet", Sam asked.  
  
"I told him it was either here or the infirmary." Janet said looking at Daniel. Daniel couldn't even attempt to answer. Janet was sitting to Daniel's right, at the head of the table. What everyone couldn't see, was the action that was taking place under the table. Janet had taken off her shoes and was running her stocking feet up and down his legs. 'Oh God' , he thought, 'I'll be hitting the showers every time we eat together'.  
  
"DanielJackson", Teal'c said, interrupting Daniel's thoughts. "Are you well, you seem distracted."  
  
"Ahh, yes Teal'c. I'mmm fine actually. Just a lot on my mind . Thanks for asking though." Daniel said as he lightly kicked Janet.  
  
Janet put her shoes back on and gave Daniel out of the corner of her eye. "Thank you", he mouthed silently in her direction.  
  
Janet smiled demurely. She realized she needed to stop if she wanted Daniel to actually eat lunch.  
  
The conversation around the table centered around the trade agreement Daniel was working on and this new advanced race willing to share. As a matter of fact, snippets of conversation from other tables around them seemed to be about the same thing. Janet realized that maybe she should ask Daniel about it. That is if they could keep their hands off each for more than two minutes when they were in the room together.  
  
Daniel was the first to stand…"It's been fun guys, but I have to go back to work."  
  
"See you later Daniel," Sam waved "my turn for the Daniel Jackson check."  
  
Daniel smiled and exited the commissary. His departure signaled 'back to work' for everyone else at the table. On the way out, Janet grabbed Sam's arm "About tonight…"  
  
"Oh that's right, six o'clock", Sam smiled at Janet.  
  
"Six o'clock would be fine," Janet said with that false smile plastered on her face again.  
  
Everyone went their separate ways.  
  
At about 3:00 the phone rang in the infirmary office. Janet was sitting at her desk, catching up on paperwork. She answered on the first ring. "Infirmary, Dr. Fraiser speaking".  
  
"Mom", Cassie said breathless.  
  
Janet took a deep breath, obviously this phone call meant today, Friday, they were talking. "Mom can I go out after dinner with Dominic to a movie. I promise I won't be late?"  
  
Part of Janet, a little tiny part wanted to say 'No, if I have to be miserable, so do you'. But the mother part said, "After dinner, Sam is coming over for dinner. She wants to hear about your trip to Spain. Could you set the table, and start the salad?"  
  
"Does this mean yes? I can go….Janet desperately wanted to say NO!!!!, but mother instincts thought otherwise and she answer "Yes, just do the table and salad thing, but no later than 11:30. I'll be home around 4:30 today."  
  
"Okay, bye".  
  
Janet hung up the phone and stared at it for a minute. She could kick herself for inviting Sam and for letting Cassie go out. Maybe if she could build the friendship thing back up with Cassie, she would be willing to talk about Daniel again. Janet shook her head, she wondered who the mother really was in this household.  
  
At 4:00 Janet paid one more visit to Daniel before she left. This was the hard part. The leaving. It was much nicer waking up together in the morning. 'Soon' she told herself, 'Soon'.  
  
Janet entered without knocking, locking the door as promised. She watched Daniel work before he even realized she was in the room. He worked with an intensity that was all encompassing. But then Daniel approached life with the same intensity. Janet blushed.  
  
"Daniel" Janet whispered.  
  
"Janet", Daniel's head turned in her direction and a smile graced his face. He jumped up, maneuvered around the piles of books on the floor. And pulled her into a rib crushing embrace. "Stay", he begged. "Please just for a little while".  
  
"Daniel, don't do this", Janet replied impatiently, "You know I can't…even though I would love too." She buried herself in his shirt drinking in the smell of him, the nearness of him. 'Oh God, I can't do this, I can't leave him', she thought.  
  
"Go", Daniel said, "If you don't leave now I am not going to be responsible." He kissed the top of her head.  
  
"I will be staying here until the agreement is done. Try to call", he brought her hand to lips and kissed it gently.  
  
Tears filled her eyes. This was far from easy….."I'll try", Janet broke the embrace, unlocked the door and closed it behind her.  
  
Daniel stood with his hand against the door and his head hanging. He willed his breathing to become regular and with a heaviness in his heart went back to work.  
  
Janet walked down the hall, oblivious to the sights and sounds around her, stopped by the infirmary and gave report to the doctor covering the night shift, retrieved her coat and briefcase from her office, took the elevators up, found her car and drove home.  
  
1 Dinner  
  
Maybe this was what was needed, Janet thought sipping the wine Sam had brought. All through dinner and now into dessert, Cassie was entertaining them with stories of Spain and the family that she had been living with. Janet eyed Cassie not understanding how this girl, young woman actually, could be the same child that gave that performance two days ago. Maybe tomorrow they would try talking again. A car horn honked outside, Cassie stood "That will be Dominic…I know, no later than 11:30." She kissed Sam and Janet and as she stood putting on her coat. She gave them both an angelic smile and said…."Sam you know the best thing about Spain, my most memorable moment…?"  
  
"No honey, what would that be", Sam asked innocently.  
  
"Coming home and finding Daniel starting to have sex with my mother on the kitchen counter. Bye." With a wave of her hand she was out the door.  
  
Sam looked at Janet, the look and color on Janet's face were indescribable. Janet's hand with the wineglass was starting to shake. Sam got up, went to Janet and took the glass from her hand and placed it on the table. Sam went to the kitchen, to the stash of hard liquor and poured Janet a shot. Back into the dining room she put the shot in Janet's hand "Drink it Janet". Janet drank it in one gulp, coughed and started to cry. Sam took her hand and led her to the sofa, making her sit. Janet leaned forward burying her head in her hands. Sam rubbed Janet's back, her own mind going over a thousand scenarios. As Janet's sobbing lessened, Sam asked…."Let's get drunk and talk".  
  
Janet's answer was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Better get the bottle and the glasses, Sam, it is a long story". Sam got the bottle and two shot glasses, pouring one for herself and one for Janet. They both downed them and Janet started to tell her story. Plenty of tears had been shed and half the bottle had been drunk by the time Janet had finished the story.  
  
Sam looked at her watch, 11:15, Cassie was going to home soon. "Janet, go to bed", she said helping Janet off the couch. "You are in no condition to deal with her tonight. You are going to say things you are going to regret later."  
  
"You are a good friend, Sam." Janet said with tears in her eyes. Janet shuffled dejectedly in the direction of her room.  
  
When Cassie came in at 11:30, Sam was waiting for her. A plan had been formulating in her mind while she was cleaning up and speaking to Cassie would be the first step. Cassie really wasn't sure if her mom would be waiting up for her, and was very surprised to see that it was Sam. "Where's mom", she asked.  
  
"She wasn't feeling well. I sent her to bed and told her I would wait up for you. As a matter of fact, because she is a little under the weather I thought it would be nice to spend the day together tomorrow, just you and I and give her chance to relax. Don't you agree?  
  
"Yeah sure", Cassie said. Usually she begged to spend time with Sam, but she was a little suspicious of this invitation. Sam gave Cassie a peck on the cheek on her way out the door. "Don't wake Mom in the morning, leave her a note…I'll pick you up at 10:00".  
  
Sam stepped out into the cool night air, as she listened, she heard Cassie lock the door behind her. Getting into her car, she looked at her watch. 'No problem'. Step two of the plan began with Sam taking her cell phone out of the glove compartment and making one call. "Hi, good you're awake, I really need to talk to you. I will be there in about 20 minutes. Put a fresh pot of coffee on." With that Sam hung up the phone, started the car and drove away.  
  
Saturday Morning:  
  
Sam and Cassie had been driving for awhile. They had stopped for breakfast in a quaint, secluded place on a lake inhabited by ducks and swans. Sam made the usual conversation to Cassie, school, boyfriend, grades, regular things. Nothing about last night was mentioned. Cassie had felt guilty after saying it, but she wanted to hurt her mom as much as she was hurt. Sam watched Cassie smiling while observing the ducks on the lake and thought 'even though she pretends she is grownup, she really is still a little girl who needs her mother'.  
  
Sam glanced at her watch…time for step three. "Cassie, I will be right back".  
  
"Okay Sam, she said never taking her eyes off the antics of the ducks in the lake.  
  
In a few minutes Cassie felt the presence of someone watching her. She looked up almost calling out for Sam as she did. Daniel was standing by Sam's empty chair.  
  
"I don't want to see you, or talk to you". Cassie said angrily getting up.  
  
"Sit", he pointed to the chair.  
  
Cassie sat slowly, never taking her eyes of Daniel in the process. Daniel sat in the chair opposite Cassie. "We need to talk. Not you and your mother, not your mother and me, but you and me", Daniel said.  
  
"I don't want to", Cassie countered.  
  
"Well I do. I know you are not happy about this, but I love your mother very much and I suspect she feels the same way about me. But we will never take it any further than what it is now, because you are not happy. This situation will not work unless everyone is happy."  
  
Cassie hung her head and would not answer Daniel.  
  
"Please Cassie, I am begging you, just let me know why you don't want me in your mother's life, in your life. If you are going to take this chance of happiness away from me, at least let me know why, " Daniel pleaded his blue eyes filling with tears.  
  
Cassie answered so softly that Daniel thought he misheard "I'm afraid".  
  
Daniel got up to sit in the chair next to Cassie. He took her hands in his own. "Afraid of what Cassie?"  
  
Now the words started to come out of Cassie fast and furiously. "Afraid you will step through the Stargate and never come back, afraid by that time I would love you like a father, afraid that I couldn't deal with losing a father all over again. I'm afraid to love you and I'm afraid what would happen to my mother if she loved you and lost you."  
  
Daniel lifted up Cassie's face gently wiping away her tears. "Cassie you can't let the fear of losing someone stand in the way of happiness. I lost Sha're, but I don't want that loss to stop me from ever finding happiness with you and your mom. What it does is enable me to see every day as a precious gift. Love for now, not for what might happen in the future."  
  
"I'm still afraid".  
  
"Of what?" Daniel asked softly.  
  
"What if you have a baby. I'm afraid that you and mom would love it more than me because it was a part of you, it was your blood."  
  
"Cassie. Except for Nick, I have no "blood" family. My family are my friends, the people I love, you your mother, Sam, Jack, Teal'c. They are not my "blood" but they are the best family anyone can have. Blood does not make a family. If that was the case I would still consider myself to be an orphan…."  
  
Cassie smiled through her tears.  
  
"You will always be your mother's daughter, and if you let me, my daughter." Cassie choked back a sob. "Blood does not make you a daughter, the fact that we love you and you love us, makes you a daughter."  
  
"Daniel, I am so sorry. Please forgive me…can you ever forgive me…" Cassie jumped up to throw herself at Daniel. "Please say you will come back home with me…please come home to my mom".  
  
From across the restaurant, Sam smiled at the scene of Cassie hugging Daniel. Her job was done. Time to go home.  
  
2 Janet's House  
  
Aargh….Janet felt terrible, too much liquor and too much unhappiness. Thank goodness for Sam taking Cassie out for the day. 'I couldn't deal with her right now'. After her shower, and nursing a cup of tea, Janet tried to call Daniel at SGC, but got just his voice mail, she hung up, not leaving a message.  
  
She was sitting in the kitchen when she heard a car pull up in front of the house. She glanced at the clock…2:00…why was Sam back so early. A car door closed and Cassie's footsteps bounded up the porch. The door opened and Cassie stood in the kitchen entrance nearly bursting with excitement.  
  
"Mom, guess what."  
  
"What Cassie…" Janet's lack of emotion could not betray the fact that she really had no patience for this game.  
  
"Sam gave me a present and let me take it home. She said if it was okay with you, it could stay and we could keep it here, for good…please Mom." Cassie was practically jumping up and down.  
  
"Cassie, the last live thing Janet gave you was a hamster….that we lost somewhere in this house. I don't think so." Janet said rubbing her throbbing temples.  
  
"Mom please…I promise I will be so good to this one, just look…please. If you don't want it, we don't have to keep it. I'm sure Sam can find it a good home. Let me at least bring it in the house."  
  
"Whatever…." Janet said.  
  
Janet heard the front door open and close.  
  
From the kitchen entrance, Cassie said "Look mom, look what Sam brought us."  
  
Janet turned and looked…there standing in the kitchen entrance was Daniel smiling. Janet jumped off her chair and ran into his open arms. He kissed her and then put his arms around Janet and Cassie.  
  
He was home.  
  
Fin 


End file.
